The £1.5million refurbishment of the hotel’s main entrance and reception areas included the construction of a two-storey reception area, a new entrance and a mezzanine floor above the reception with a break-out lounge area for guests.

For the staircase, Ancaster Weatherbed, quarried in Lincolnshire was used. It is an incredibly durable limestone that lends itself perfectly to areas of heavy traffic. However, this presented one of Knapper’s most arduous challenges. The bottom tread is almost three metres in width and took an extra degree of care during stone selection so that they could avoid any unwanted seams of blue. At the top of the stair the curved gallery is edged in the same stone.The lower treads of the stair are set into the existing wall with a large solid stone landing. Where there was no adjoining wall, on the upper run, Ian Knapper worked with his engineers on a specialist engineered structure to create a flying section. The treads are a modern take on a traditional ogee/modillion design which gives an unusual profile to the side of the stair. Each tread was hand-carved from a single block of stone.

The fireplace is carved from Ancaster Hard White, from the same quarry as the Weatherbed but from a different bed, which means that the tone of the stairs and fireplace naturally complement each other.

The stone flooring is made of large slabs of custom cut Weatherbed, accommodating flush carpeted areas, with matching skirting running up the wall side of the staircase. The bases of the mirrored pillars are clad in the same stone and incorporate feature lighting detail.